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Research suggests that bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus aureus cellulitis and Escherichia coli cystitis might actually be sexually transmitted, as high risk for colonization and infection with these pathogenic strains is repeatedly found in sexual partners of infected patients. Little is known, however, about overall household patterns of acquiring and transmitting these common bacteria.
Minnesota researchers used genomic profiling to categorize fecal E. coli strains in 63 households encompassing 152 humans and 76 pets. They identified 335 E. coli clones, of which 90 (27%) were recovered from more than one person or animal. Shared clones were found in about two thirds of households. Adult sex partners shared clones only slightly a…